How Fast Do Submarines Travel Underwater?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

However, U.S. nuclear-powered submarines can go faster than

23 miles per hour

, which is 37 kilometers per hour or 20 knots (nautical miles per hour) underwater.

How fast is the fastest submarine underwater?

The boat was at one point the world’s fastest submarine, reaching a record submerged speed of

44.7 knots (82.8 km/h; 51.4 mph)

on trials.

Does a submarine travel faster on the surface or under water?

Which is faster? A submarine meets more resistance under-water as opposed to on the surface, as on the surface a small fraction of the hull surface is meeting against air resistance instead of water resistance. This does not, however, mean that

a submarine travels faster on the surface

.

What is the top speed of a US submarine?

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the top speed of the submarines of the Los Angeles class is

over 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)

, although the actual maximum is classified. Some published estimates have placed their top speed at 30 to 33 knots (56 to 61 km/h; 35 to 38 mph).

How long can a nuclear ship go without refueling?

Nuclear power allowed submarines to run for

about twenty years

without needing to refuel. Food supplies became the only limit on a nuclear submarine’s time at sea. Since then, similar technologies have been developed to power aircraft carriers.

How long can a submarine stay underwater without oxygen?

Air isn’t a problem as their make their own oxygen and keep the air clean. The limits on how long they can stay underwater are food and supplies. Submarines generally stock a 90-day supply of food, so they can spend

three months

underwater.

How deep can US submarines go?

How deep can US nuclear subs go? A nuclear submarine can dive to a depth of

about 300m

. This one is larger than the research vessel Atlantis and has a crew of 134. The average depth of the Caribbean Sea is 2,200 meters, or about 1.3 miles.

Can submarines go in reverse?


Submarines were not designed to go backward

. Sternway, as reverse speed was called, could quickly drag the submarine deeper because all the weight in the engine room tended to pull the stern downward.

How fast does a torpedo go?

It could travel about 180 metres (200 yd) at an average speed of

6.5 knots (12.0 km/h)

. The speed and range of later models were improved by increasing the pressure of the stored air.

Do your ears pop on a submarine?

Helen –

No their ears probably don’t pop

because in fact, unlike a scuba diver who takes down a tank of air and breathes it at pressure that is equal to the water around them-which becomes very high very quickly as you go down-submarines are pressurised so that inside them they maintain the same pressure as air at the …

Why is a submarine faster underwater?


The modern submarines are designed to operate fully submerged, so they have less drag when submerged than on the surface

. There is more than one type of drag: The resistance from water is skin drag, and this skin drag does go up as the wetted surface increases when the sub submerges.

Is a submarine more efficient than a boat?


Modern military subs can easily outpace most civilian surface craft or military transport vessels

. The top speed of a lot of them is classified, but almost all the modern nuclear attack boats can surpass 30 knots (not ‘quiet’ at that speed, but attainable).

How long can nuclear submarines stay underwater?

Nuclear submarines can operate underwater for

three to four months

at a time and easily span seas. While few conventional submarines can travel the distance, none have the same depth of endurance below.

How fast can a nuclear aircraft carrier go?

All ships of the class are powered by two A4W nuclear reactors, housed in separate compartments. The resulting steam spins four propeller shafts, producing a maximum speed of

over 30 knots (56 km/h)

and maximum power of 260,000 brake horsepower (194 MW).

How fast can a Seawolf submarine go?

Class overview Speed 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h) (silent)

35 knots (40 mph; 65 km/h) (maximum)
Range Unlimited Endurance Only limited by food supplies Test depth 1,600 ft (490 m)

How do submarines get air?

Oxygen is typically supplied to the submarine

from pressurized tanks

. A computerized system monitors oxygen in the air and releases fresh oxygen as its needed by the crew. Next, exhaled carbon dioxide must be removed or it becomes a toxin.

What do aircraft carriers use for fuel?


JP-5

is a high flash point kerosine (meeting) complying with the requirements of the U.S. Navy, this is primarily jet fuel for use in aircraft carriers. NATO Code F-44. JP-5 and JP-8 (stand for jet Propellants are substances that move other objects or give thrust). They are used by the military as aircraft fuels.

How many aircraft carriers does the US have?

The United States has

11 aircraft carriers

and 9 “helo” carriers, nearly as many as all other countries combined, followed by Japan and France, each with four. Eleven other nations have at least one carrier, and several more are under construction.

Has a submarine ever hit a whale?


British Navy mistook whales for submarines and torpedoed them, killing three, during Falklands War

. THE British navy killed three whales with torpedoes after mistaking them for enemy submarines. THE British navy killed three whales after mistaking them for enemy submarines during the Falklands War, it has been revealed …

How much do submariners get paid?

Job Title Salary US Navy Navy Submarine Officer salaries – 1 salaries reported

US$82,803/yr
Royal Navy Writer/Submariner salaries – 1 salaries reported £25,862/yr BAE Systems Submarine Systems Engineer salaries – 1 salaries reported £28,800/yr

Can a submarine survive a nuclear bomb?

Nuclear submarines are surface independent, and could provide energy, oxygen, fresh water and perhaps even food for their inhabitants for years.

They are able to withstand close nuclear explosions and radiation

.

Can you smoke on a submarine?


The Navy announced today a ban on smoking aboard submarines

while they are deployed below the surface after medical testing showed non-smokers suffered effects of second-hand smoke. It will take effect by Dec. 31, 2010.

How thick is the hull of a submarine?

The external hull, which actually forms the shape of submarine, is called the outer hull, casing or light hull. This term is especially appropriate for Russian submarine construction, where the light hull is usually made of steel that is only

2 to 4 millimetres

thick, as it has the same pressure on both sides.

Can you survive a submarine sinking?

There are two options available for the crew of a submerged disabled submarine (DISSUB);

escape or rescue

. Escape is the process where the DISSUB’s crew leaves the boat and reaches the surface without external assistance; while rescue is undertaken by outside parties who remove the trapped crew from the submarine.

How many U boats are still missing?

A U-boat of this type, listed for decades as being sunk off Gibraltar, was found on the sea bottom about 60 miles off the coast of New Jersey in 1991. According to the definitive website Uboat.org, a total of

50 German U-boats remained unaccounted for after the end of World War II

.

Has a submarine ever sunk another submarine?

German submarine U-864 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine in World War II.

On 9 February 1945 it became the only submarine in history to be sunk by an enemy submarine while both were submerged

.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.